News Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 25, 2005

Four New Haven Crack Dealers Sentenced To Federal Prison

June W. Stansbury, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration in New England and Kevin J. O'Connor, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that four New Haven residents have been sentenced Bridgeport federal court for their involvement in a "crack" cocaine and powder cocaine distribution ring.

On Thursday, August 18, United States District Judge Janet C. Hall sentenced GERALD DRIFFIN, also known as "Jajuan Driffin," also known as "Nut," age 29, to 100 months of imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release. On Tuesday, August 23, Judge Hall sentenced JAMEL
NOBLES, also known as "Dungeon," age 28, to 70 months of imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release. On Wednesday, August 24, Judge Hall sentenced DE PAUL CRUDUP, also known as "Pace," age 33, to 100 months of imprisonment followed, by five years supervised release,
and HERBERT TISDALE, also known as "H.G.," age 31, to 94 months of imprisonment followed by five years of supervised release. Each of the four defendants previously pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute between five grams and 20 grams of cocaine base ("crack" cocaine).

These charges stem from an investigation conducted by the New Haven Drug Task Force, composed of agents and officers of the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the New Haven and West Haven Police Departments.

According to information disclosed in court proceedings, in late 2003, the Task Force began an investigation into the distribution of crack cocaine throughout the New Haven area by Julius Moorning and his associates. A variety of traditional and sophisticated investigative techniques were employed by the Task Force, including court-authorized wiretaps. The investigation disclosed that Moorning and his associates, Edward Hines, Rodney Nelson and Michele Groom, were obtaining large quantities of crack and powder cocaine and transporting it to New Haven for resale. The crack and cocaine was then sold to local distributors in the Newhallville, Dwight-Kensington, Hill, Fair Haven, Eastern Circle, Westville, Brookside and West Hills sections of New Haven, and in Derby and West Haven, Connecticut.

Moorning, Hines, Nelson and Groom were arrested in April 2004, and they were subsequently indicted on federal drug conspiracy charges with 45 other individuals, including DRIFFIN, NOBLES, CRUDUP and TISDALE. In association with searches conducted at the time the defendants in this matter were arrested, a large quantity of crack cocaine and more than $88,000 was seized by law enforcement.

In May, Judge Hall sentenced Groom to 120 months of imprisonment followed by six years of supervised release. Moorning, Hines and Nelson are awaiting sentencing.